Mike James undergoes emergency surgery, faces lengthy layoff: Anadolu Efes confirm timetable for American star

Pulse Sports Team 18:00 - 02 October 2026

American guard Mike James suffered a devastating injury during the EuroLeague Round 3 clash between Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet and Anadolu Efes, which saw the hosts prevail 77-72. A day after the contest, James underwent surgery, with the Turkish club releasing an official update on his recovery timeline.

You could follow the match between Crvena Zvezda and Anadolu Efes live on Sportal

Midway through the third quarter, James suffered an unfortunate injury and had to be taken off the court on a stretcher.

Less than 24 hours after the incident, Anadolu Efes released a statement on social media confirming that James had undergone surgery and is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

"Mike James suffered an injury during yesterday's game against Crvena Zvezda and has successfully undergone Achilles tendon reconstruction surgery performed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kerem Ulku. Our team physician Ugur Dilicikik stated that, depending on the post-operative recovery process, the player is expected to be sidelined for seven to nine months."

James reacts to devastating injury

Following the game, James shared a brief, emotional message on his Instagram story.

"Well... damn. F***ing sucks!!!! Thank you to everyone who supported me. Appreciate you all. Mike James"

Crvena Zvezda show class with locker room visit

Following the final buzzer, Crvena Zvezda head coach Ibon Navarro and his players went into the Efes locker room to offer their heartfelt support to the American guard.

It was a tremendous gesture of sportsmanship from the Belgrade side, demonstrating that player well-being transcends any result on the scoreboard.

EuroLeague Standings

Following their victory over the Turkish giants, the Mali Kalemegdan side climbed to 15th in the standings, holding a 1-2 record to start the season.

With Round 3 partially complete, Panathinaikos, Fenerbahce, Partizan, Valencia, and Dubai remain unbeaten at 2-0.

Olympiacos and Hapoel sit in sixth and seventh place with 2-1 records, ahead of Besiktas, Barcelona, ASVEL, Milan, and Bayern, who all stand at 1-1.

Zalgiris, Efes, Crvena Zvezda, Virtus, and Paris hold 1-2 records, while Maccabi and Baskonia are 0-2. Real Madrid prop up the table having lost all three of their opening fixtures.